The nominees are out for the 2014 APAN Star Awards, yet another glittery awards ceremony and this one in particular is a recent new arrival on the awards scene in the last few years. It’s connected to the Daejeon Drama Festival and is limited to dramas that ran from November 1st 2013 through September 31, 2014 on all three major networks along with cable channels. Basically all the dramas we’ve watched this year minus the ones that just started or have yet to air.
Last year’s winner of the Daesang (Top Prize) at the APAN Star Awards was Song Hye Kyo for That Winter, the Wind Blows. This year any of the nominees for Top Excellent Actor or Actress have a shot at the Daesang. Scanning the names I’d put my money on it come down to Jeon Ji Hyun, Jo In Sung, or Ha Ji Won. I’m more excited for a Kim Soo Hyun–Lee Min Ho fanbase showdown or the mutually loathing fanbase of Kang Sora and Jin Se Yeon to duke it out since they are rivals nominated in the same acting category.
APAN Star Awards 2014 nominations:
Mini Drama
Top Excellent Actor:
Kim Soo Hyun (You From Another Star), Yoo Ah In (Secret Love Affair), Lee Min Ho (Heirs), Jang Hyuk (Fated to Love You), Jo In Sung (It’s Okay, It’s Love).
* This will go to Jo In Sung unless he wins the Daesang.
Top Excellent Actress:
Gong Hyo Jin (It’s Okay, It’s Love), Kim Hee Ae (Secret Love Affair), Song Yoon Ah (Mama), Jang Nara (Fated to Love You), Jeon Ji Hyun (You From Another Star)
* Jeon Ji Hyun wins unless she doesn’t give a fuck and doesn’t want the award, and then it’ll go to Gong Hyo Jin.
Excellent Actor:
Kim Woo Bin (Heirs), Park Yoochun (Three Days), Park Hae Jin (You From Another Star), Jung Woo (Answer Me 1994), Ji Sung (Secret Love)
* Kim Woo Bin as the trendy pick but I think it’s really between Park Hae Jin and Ji Sung.
Excellent Actress:
Kang Sora (Dr. Stranger), Go Ara (Answer Me 1997), Moon Jung Hee (Mama), Park Shin Hye (Heirs), Jin Se Yeon (Dr. Stranger)
* Jin Se Yeon wins! Ahahahaha, just kidding. Either Go Ara or Moon Jung Hee, but Kang Sora may be the dark horse especially with her current drama Misaeng so well-received.
Long Drama
Top Excellent Actor:
Yoo Dong Geun (What’s with this Family), Lee Dong Wook (Hotel King), Lee Seo Jin (Wonderful Days), Jo Jae Hyun (Jeong Do Jeon), Joo Jin Mo (Empress Ki)
* Lee Seo Jin gets it.
Top Excellent Actress:
Kim Hee Sun (Wonderful Days), Lee Yuri (Jeong Do Jeon), Lee Ji Ah (Thrice Married Woman), Jang Seo Hee (Two Mothers), Ha Ji Won (Empress Ki)
* Ha Ji Won for sure unless she does what Jeon Ji Hyun might do which is not even care about winning (i.e. she’s not interested in attending), then the award might go to Jang Seo Hee.
Excellent Actor:
Kim Sang Hyun (What’s with this Family), Kim Ji Hoon (Come, Jang Bori!), Park Young Gu (Jeong Do Jeon), Ji Chang Wook (Empress Ki), Taecyeon (Wonderful Days)
* If all the Empress Ki cast passes including Ji Chang Wook, who ought to win, then it goes to Kim Ji Hoon.
Excellent Actress:
Kim Ok Bin (Yoona’s Street), Kim Ji Yeong, Kim Hyun Joo (What’s with this Family), Seo Hyun Jin (King’s Daughter Soo Baek Hyang), Oh Yeon Seo (Come, Jang Bori!)
* Lock pick says Kim Hyun Joo by a mile, but Oh Yeon Seo could be riding momentum, and the long shot is Kim Ok Bin.
Best Supporting Role (Male):
Kim Jang Won, Ryu Seung Soo, Park Hyuk Kwon, Song Dong Il, Shin Sung Rok
* Any guy winning would make me happy. My gut tells me Shin Sung Rok gets it because he’s so resurgent these days.
Best Supporting Role (Female):
Kim Ji Ho, Kim Hye Eun, Baek Jin Hee, Song Ok Suk, Yoon Ah Jong
* Totally Baek Jin Hee’s award to lose.
Best New Actor
Do Kyung Soo (D.O.), Baro, Park Hyung Sik, Son Ho Joon, Ahn Jae Hyun
* Give it to D.O.! But it might be too fast for him so I think it’ll be Park Hyung Sik.
Best New Actress
Gyung So Jin, Kim Seul Gi, Nam Bora, Dasom, Dohee
* I’d pick Kim Seul Gi but I think the voters love cute Nam Bora.
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This is one awards show where the winner is told beforehand so only the winners show up at the ceremony so in essence its more like a network year end award ceremony doubling as an employee thank you banquet. That does make me wonder why it even announces a “nominee” list three weeks ahead of the ceremony which will be held at the end of November. With that said, it’s fun to start checking out how this year’s dramas are getting viewed by awards bodies, and as always don’t take it too seriously as if these choices are really about actual performance quality.
Some notable snubs include – the whole cast of Joseon Gunman but then again Lee Jun Ki won Top Excellent Actor last year here for Two Weeks so likely just spreading the wealth, God’s Gift: 14 Days and especially Jo Seung Woo(!!!) but the drama was a mess and Lee Bo Young won Top Excellent Actress for I Hear Your Voice last year here, the entire cast of Triangle getting no love, Miss Korea a total non-entity as sadly as it was overlooked in ratings as well, and the big shocker is no Kim Myung Min anywhere for A New Leaf when he’s usually an awards staple.
I’m sure folks who watched and loved One Warm Word will wonder why the cast was not recognized, while folks who watched and hated Temptation will appreciate that drama getting no love here. It’s bizarre that if Dr. Stranger got any acting noms it would be Kang Sora-Jin Se Yeon rather than Lee Jong Seok since he carried that show, but then Lee Jong Seok won Excellent Actor here last year. See, nominations are always more than meets the eye. All in all this particular nomination list doesn’t give me too much indigestion.
I would love to see Yoo Ah In win something.. he’s so good at secret love affair.
Totally agree with you. I feel bad for him. He’s so good in SLA, no offense to other actors at the same category with him, but he’s on top of them. And yet the winners are so predictable from one award ceremony to another.
korean Award show is a joke.thats why i never pay any attention to them.instead of best actor,they will reverse it and turn it to worst actor wiining the award…tsk tsk tsk
Yes, I have to laugh when the nominees include Lee Min Ho, Taecyeon, and Jin Se Yeon. I have given up on Korean award shows.
really, who nominats and who vote for these people? i agree with you. they have so many award shows that these are just for shows and i do not wonder why some winners do not bother to attend.
You too???
I think only me..
who the winners who didn’t attend that events???
100% sure kim soo hyun will win the daesang
I hope Ha Ji Won will win the daesang or at least something! Too bad, no Jo Swing Woo…he was amazing in God’s Gift!!
Just look at Lee Min Ho names already make me laugh!!
I like him but he deserves no accolades for his acting in Heirs.
WTF, this a joke…Lee Jun Ki should be in the nominees of Top Excellence Actor.
Seriously. LJK>>>>>>>LMH + KSH
Well, if he’s nominated & wins the award, it would be rather awkward for him to present the award to himself, assuming the previous year’s winner is presenting the award.
Totally my personal opinion, but I thought LJK was better in Two Weeks than in Joseon Gunman. Of course, I may be blinded by my love for Tae-San & Soo-Jin.
It seems that shows that premier really early in the year tend to get forgotten when the award seasons roll around; unless that show is a mega hit like You from Another Star or Empress Ki.
Another drama that i feel was totally snubbed is You’re All Surrounded. It wasn’t a stella drama but it wasn’t all that bad. And Lee Seunggi put up a very credible performance, better than some of the nominees there. And then there’s Cha Seung Won….
Because of her Chinese CF scandal flawing her positive image, I don’t think she was ever planning on going. Also, her acting was very good, but NOT at all better than three of the other actresses in her category. I could be wrong, but I don’t think she was going home with that award in the first place.
is it weird when you think that her Chinese CF tarnishes her image? but how about KSH, he was also in that CF. Isnt it double standard that females get more blame for some stupid scandals why all males get free pass for their actions?
i dont like certain actresses. But sometime, i feel the amount of hate certain actresses get is ridiculous when actors who have less acting skill get praise like God.
Her image is not tarnished in MY eyes. I couldn’t care less about that CF controversy, but people in Korea do.
About the cf you are right both of them are involved on that controversy but only jeon ji hyun suffer the most in korean netizens looks they forgive ksh but not jjh
Sepnd some times and read some Korean news babe. Jun Ji Hyun is still in a lot of CFs in Korea. If her image is ruined those brands wouldn’t continue shooting CFs with her (look at Lee Byung Hun). Coupang,the largest online shopping platform in Korea just released a new CF featuring Jun Ji Hyun yesterday.
I didn’t say her image was ruined. Of course it isn’t. I used the word, “flawed”.
Sorry for my misuse of word. And btw if she is not going to attend it, it is not because of the image stuffs. It seems that she seldom attends award ceremony.
Oops. Referring to Jun Jeon Hun
Korean awards mostly are jokes…they’re only care about ratings and BO results…
Now, I’m curious if it’s really based on acting performance, who is actually deserves Daesang, top excellent actor and top excellent actress?
Well, at least APAN’s nomination is better than Korea Drama Award, specially for top excellent actress category, I adore Kim Hee Ae and Song Yunah, though for me Gong Hyo Jin is the best female performer of the year. I wont put high hope anymore for Gong Hyo Jin, I just hope JIS take home daesang and Sung Dong Il win Best surpporting role (male).
since I dont think SBS will give enough love later in year-end drama awards 🙁
some love for IOIL please APAN 🙂
Imo, last year’s winners, SHK, LBY, LJK, LJS etc. were quite deserving of the awards, hope this year will continue to award great acting performances.
My picks are Jo In-Sung, Song Yoon-Ah, Jo Jae-Hyun and Ha Ji-Won for the top awards.
The Top Excellence Actress for Mini Drama is a tough fight! I only watched SLA, YFAS and IOIL out of the 5, but those 3 actresses were AMAZING. will be happy if any of them wins.
Rooting for Yoo Ah In or Jo In Sung for Top Excellence Actor. But at the rate Kim Soo Hyun has been picking up awards, he may win this as well :/
Definitely rooting for Ha Ji Won for her category or for Daesang.
Shout out to Kim Ok Bin doing an excellent job in Yoona’s street! That drama is EVERYTHING…
Yoona’s Street is hands down the best drama for 2014. It is criminally under radar for what a gem it is.
Yoona’s character is everything I want an heroine to be she’s a tough cookie without being bitchy. Every writer should take note on how a quality 50+ drama should be written.
I put all my money betting that LMH or KSH will win, the top two overrated actors. The awards itself is a joke. Its more like popularity award than real acting achievement. Lee Min Ho for top excellent for the Heirs? Lmao.
What the f*** are you people talking about. Kim Soo Hyun should get ALL the awards. ALL! 🙂
Kim Soo hyun is confirmed to attend he will get either daesang or top excellent actor for this award show.
Of course he will. Don’t you know he is big with the ladies in China? That’s the mark of a top-level actor! 🙂
But if jo in sung also confirmed to attend i don’t think ksh will get the daesang he is more deserving and a great actor compare to ksh.
Its so suprising, a great actor like lee jun ki isnt even nominated. All i can say here is Korean Awards are sooooo unfair.
The way i saw it majority of korean awards is judged by popularity than great acting the more popular you are the more awards you get.
Does Korea actually have an acting award show where they actually watch your work and give you an award based on your talent like SAG? Because lee min ho and park shin Hye up for acting awards is very fishy. I saw a few other names that got me questioning the validity of this award.
as far I know, for cinema awards, at least there is Director’s Cut Award and Pusan Festival Film(?) though, they are not as extravagant as the 3 mayor film awards…
as for drama……… =_=’
Totally rooting for Gong Hyo Jin, Baek Jin Hee, Sung Dong Il, Go Ara and Jung Woo. Wished Mr.Voice was nominated too but Miss Korea didnt do really well during its run. Ah…but it’ll definitely be tough for Hyo Jin against Jeon Ji Hyun.
Your id remind me of someone in soompi 😀
Well, if Jeon Ji Hyun win daesang, GHJ most likely will win top excellent actress but somehow I prefer JIS to win daesang… as much as I love and adore GHJ, I wont hope too much anymore, after last year experience…
Honestly, it’s sadden me so much because GHJ definitely deserves to win highest acting award… JIS is undeniable shined brightly in IOIL, but for me GHJ is the best performer for the whole 17ep of IOIL 🙁 GHJ showed off her incredibly natural acting that made her character (which is a very different than her previous roles) is so realistic and believable from the first moment she appeared in ep 1 until the last moment in ep 17… and those amazing performance has done while she suffering a lot physically and mentally during filming because of car accident…
It’s hard to accept when your favorite artist has done great performance even have to face many hard obstacle but doesnt get the recognition they deserve, other artist who is not as great as your artist get the recognition instead #heartbreakingfan T-T
What a dilemma being a big-fan LOL
im rooting for GHY last year for masters sun…her acting is soo impressive…making people laugh is harder to act than crying…but she didnt win!
i didnt expect that my love from another star and heirs are included in the nominees when they received awards already!
i do hope that IOIL will sweep all the awards! its the best drama for me!
I’m just wonder why Lee joon gi is not nominated this year?
Me too! SMH that Joon Gi did not get nomimated.
Rooting for kim ji ho( dong ok from Wonderful Days)!~ 🙂
We should also know that the organizers have their own rules on picking the best actors actresses,Politics is another thing . am sure is the same all over the world!fans,actors/acteresses not nominated or given award will react that he she is qualified.
haha! so are you tryin’ to say that JJH is better than GHJ? And GHJ is just a second choice for best actress award? are you insane? Don’t compare the “over acting” and “Natural acting”.
Pls b mindful of what you say we are only giving individual opinion if you are not from An English speaking country “Insane” is not a right word,it’s an Abusive word!